Website listing businesses under church membership

ABSTRACT

This invention uses the technologies of the Internet, website building and databases to create a referral resource system, which list individual contractors and businesses and the products and services they offer under the local church in which they are members. These entries are also categorized by the church&#39;s denominational affiliation, the city in which the business operates, and the occupational category.  
     An individual needing products and services can pull up the website, www.askmychurch.com, on their computer and, through a selection process, be provided a list of those individual contractors meeting their search criteria, according to the church, denomination, city or occupational category they choose to use.  
     The unique aspect of this invention is that the individual contractors and business managers and owners will be listed under the churches in which they have memberships. They will also be listed under their church&#39;s denominational affiliation.

DRAWINGS (WHEN NECESSARY)

[0001] Not Applicable

OATH OR DECLARATION

[0002] [Form PTO/SB/01 attached]

SEQUENCE LISTING (WHEN NECESSARY)

[0003] Not Applicable

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0004] Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0005] Not Applicable

[0006] REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAMLISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX

[0007] Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The field of endeavor to which this invention pertains is theInformation Technology field including the World Wide Web, a website,and databases. Individuals and businesses are able to list on a websitetheir names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, and a briefdescription of their products, services, and other relevant informationunder the church, denomination, city, and work category with which theyare affiliated. Users needing those services and products can go to thewebsite and search by state, city, church, denomination, or workcategory for the individuals and businesses listed accordingly. Unlikethe yellow pages and other types of printed directories, this inventionuses the Internet, a website, databases, and list the entries with theirchurch affiliation.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Prior my invention, individuals who needed services or productswere restricted to identifying providers of such through the yellowpages or similar printed directories. The desired method of locatingsomeone is a personal referral. My invention enables an individual tolocate a provider of products and services in their own local church, orin their denomination, or in other churches in their community. Ratherthan contacting someone out of a directory, the person can contactsomeone in his or her own church or in another church in his or hercommunity.

[0010] Providers can list their business information along with a briefdescription of their products and services under their churchaffiliation, city, and work category. This invention creates anothermarket for these contractors and business owners and managers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

[0011] Not Applicable

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] A website was built with linked databases containing informationspecifying states, cities, church denominations, churches, and workoccupations. Individuals who own or manage businesses or who work ascontractors are able to submit information regarding their businesses(name, location, phone numbers) and the products and services they offerunder the church to which they are affiliated by membership. Thisinformation is also listed under the denomination to which the church isaffiliated, the city in which the church is located and the workcategory under which their business is classified. These individualssubmit their information on the website and pay an annual fee by checkor credit card. The website administrator checks the submittals forcompleteness and content and adds them to the database.

[0013] Users who are looking for a product or service can pull up thewebsite, www.AskMyChurch.com, and through a selection of drop-down boxescan specify the state, city, and church, denomination, or work categoryfor a list of those who have submitted information corresponding to theuser's search.

[0014] This invention allows members of churches to identify localcontractors and businesses in their own churches and in their owncommunities. It also provides the local business owners and contractorsanother market for their products and services. Users can now locatecontractors and businesses in local churches in other cities and statesto provide services on property they own or for their aged parents,widowed mothers, children in college, etc. Newcomers to a community caneasily locate pediatricians, mechanics, etc. according to their churchor denominational affiliation.

1. What I claim as my invention is the process of using a computer tofacilitate the transaction between an individual needing a productand/or service and a list of contractors and businesses identified withtheir specific church and denomination or another church anddenomination in their own community, comprising: inputting into thecomputer an individual or business with their products and/or serviceslisted under the category of state and city and church and denominationand occupation; inputting into the computer a payment identifierspecifying a credit card account, providing payment for the listing, thepayment identifier being associated with the individual or businesslisted under the category of state and city and church and denominationand occupation, posting the list of individuals and/or businesses withtheir products and/or services listed under the category of state andcity and church and denomination and occupation on the website ofwww.AskMyChurch.com so that those needing work done for themselves ortheir businesses or their family or friends can locate the individualsand businesses providing such products and/or services within their ownchurch or denomination in their community, or in another church anddenomination in their own community, or in the community where theproduct and/or service is to be provided.”